Luke Bryan might not have even been able to legally drink the first time he took his hip shake to the bar. The country superstar known for rural love songs and poignant moments was dedicated to his craft, and it paid off in a big way.

This episode of The Secret History of Country Music is really the secret history of how Bryan got his start. You probably know his Nashville journey was interrupted by the death of his brother, but the band he was in prior to heading north from Leesburg, Ga., remains something of a mystery. Neyami Road was a thing before Facebook, YouTube and Twitter (and even MySpace!), but with some help from Cole Swindell, we've unearthed some of those early songs.

We also learned that Bryan's current guitarist, Michael Carter, was part of that group. He's the one with the scoop on the the "Country Girl" singer's booty shake, telling People all about it for a cover story in 2013. Lines to see the group practically stretched out of town! Of course by the time he talked, the world knew all about Bryan's tight jeans and crazy antics and continue to love him for it.

The Secret History of Country Music is a new weekly series hosted by Taste of Country News host Ania Hammar. We'll go deeper inside the stories of country music's biggest hits, moments and figures. Look for episodes about Florida Georgia Line and Kid Rock coming up — be sure to subscribe to Taste of Country's YouTube channel so you never miss a new episode.

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